


Royally Crushed

by KatzRoad



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:35:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21556363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatzRoad/pseuds/KatzRoad
Summary: Rapunzel discovers the newest member of the Royal Guard has a crush on her. Seeing as she's never had someone crush on her before, the princess is a bit unsure how to handle a situation like this.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

Breakfast that morning for the royal family was quiet. Arianna stirred her ginger and honey tea, still too rather hot to drink right away. She made a glance toward Frederic, whom was in the middle of a scrumptious helping of poached eggs and spinach toast. He glanced to her mid-chew and paused altogether, eyes widening as though he was in breach of proper table manners. The queen frowned a little and then gestured for him to look ahead with the tilt of her head.

Rapunzel sat with her chin resting in the palm of her left hand, eyes half-lidded as she forked at her untouched plate of fruit and omelette. Every once in a while, her gaze would turn to the pair of flowers she brought with her to the table. They were a pair of freshly cut orchids: one was light pink and the other was lavender. The king sat his fork down and then tugged his beard in concern.

“Rapunzel? Sweetie?” Arianna nudged. Rapunzel looked up from her plate, noticing both her parents were looking at her. The ginger and honey tea had cooled down, but now it was pushed aside for motherly concern. “You haven’t touched your food. Is everything all right dear?” she asked.

“Oh, I’m fine, but…” Rapunzel sat her fork down and then straightened up. Too much thinking was not doing any favors to her appetite, despite how good her omelette looked. “I sort of have a problem which I honestly don’t know what to do.” she said.

“Is it a problem with Eugene?” Frederic asked. Rapunzel shook her head. He made a glance to Arianna. “Is it a problem with Cassandra? One of the servants? You know your mother and I always here to help.” he assured, folding his hands together.

The blonde shook her head three more times. Frederic watched as her eyes flicked over to the orchids. He raised an eyebrow and then it came to him. “Ah, the royal gardener must’ve asked for your opinion regarding the replanting of the gardens. Ah yes, it can be a hard decision, with so many beautiful flowers like those orchids you have there.” he chuckled.

“Dad, these aren’t from the garden. In fact, someone picked them for me.” Rapunzel corrected. She picked up the lavender orchid and dwelled on it for a moment then looked to her parents. “You know the new guy on the Royal Guard? Dimitri?” she asked.

“Dimitri… Dimitri…” Arianna tapped her chin, eyes narrowing as she tried looking for a face. It came to her moments later; tall, broad-shouldered, blue eyes, and fresh-faced. He couldn’t have been more than a year older than Rapunzel. “Yes, I think I know who you’re talking about. What does he have to do with any of this?” she took a sip of her tea.

“… I think he has a crush on me.” Rapunzel revealed.

Arianna coughed, the ginger and honey suddenly caught in her throat. Frederic blinked a couple of times and then checked his ear to see it wasn’t acting up. He then turned to his wife with an eyebrow hiked. “A crush, you say?” he turned back to Rapunzel and cleared his throat.

“I know, I know, believe me guys I am just as surprised. It’s so weird, I never had someone crush on me before, let alone someone from the Royal Guard,” Rapunzel sniffed the orchid and then sat it down. The flowers were sweet, but she knew she couldn’t accept their true intentions. “What am I going to do? I can’t have a crush if I’m—Eugene! Oh my God, what I am going to do about Eugene with all of this?!” she gasped.

Arianna wiped her mouth with a napkin and moved a seat to sit beside Rapunzel. She placed a firm but comforting hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “The best thing for you to do right now is panic. Now darling, are you sure Dimitri has a crush on you? Perhaps he just picked these flowers as a token of appreciation.” she suggested.

“Well, it’s not just the flowers. I’ve noticed he’s been nervous around me, almost to the point of breaking out into a sweat. Sometimes I’ll catch him looking at me and when that happens, he turns away redder than a tomato. In fact, he’s been turning red a lot around me. You know the other day he actually tried to talk to me, but he was all tongue-tied.” Rapunzel explained.

“Yep, that sounds like a boy in love.” Frederic said firmly, setting his own cup of tea down. It vaguely reminded him of himself, when he was beginning to court Arianna. At least he didn’t become as nearly tongue-tied. “I’d guess in some ways you should be flattered, but at the same time it’s inappropriate, considering you are a princess and he’s a royal guard.” he warned.

“More importantly, since you’re already spoken for, you should turn him down. I’m sure Dimitri will understand.” Arianna insisted. Rapunzel looked away, chewing her lip and then looked back to her mother. “Oh I know it sounds harsh but trust me it’s the right thing to do.” she added.

“You’re right, I’m sure he’ll understand,” Rapunzel pushed her seat back and then stood up. “Though I should tell Eugene about this, I feel like he should know too. Thanks guys, I knew I could come to you about this.” she thanked.

With that, Rapunzel excused herself from breakfast, despite never having a bite herself. Arianna moved over to take a seat beside her husband again. Her tea had long since grown lukewarm, but she didn’t mind it one bit. “How sweet, our little girl’s first crush. I remember the first time someone had a crush on me…” she reminisced.

“Ah, to be young and in love. Things used to be less hectic back then, remember?” Frederic took Arianna’s hand and kissed it, chuckling a few moments later. He’d already finished his plate and was tempted to ask for a second helping from the servant. “Though do you think we should be worried? I’m not sure how Eugene would react to this news.” he wondered.

“Oh, not at all. Rapunzel’s a resourceful girl, she can handle this on her own.” Arianna waved off. “Besides, it’s not like Eugene’s going to be jealous because another man has a crush on the love of his life.” she said.

The amusement on both their faces dropped when hearing that sentence out loud.

“Perhaps we should keep a tab on them?” Frederic suggested.

“Just to be safe.” Arianna nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome, this is the second story I've written for this series but the first time I'm writing Rapunzel as the main character. I apologize if the characters don't sound quite right, as I am still trying to find a voice for everyone.
> 
> I thought this would be an interesting idea to explore, unrequited feelings and possibly some other things. Don't worry, Rapunzel and Eugene's relationship is going to stay intact. As for the royal guard in question, if you're wondering what he looks like, [this is him beside the Captain of the Guard](https://66.media.tumblr.com/15083365b29f6396fb9a0b03ed521b13/dce2e5d9e61fa354-a9/s500x750/2850fb90923ecc263c44efb8bbc60fd7cf7fc934.png). In the series proper he doesn't have a canon name, but I made one up for him.
> 
> By the way, it apparently a pink orchid means love while a lavender orchid means royalty. Seems fitting doesn't it? 
> 
> Hopefully I'll have the second chapter posted soon. Overall I like how the first chapter turned out and I hope you guys enjoy it too.
> 
> Feedback is welcomed!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the second chapter, now introducing Eugene and Cassandra! I'm honestly surprised at the attention this story is getting, I didn't expect it and I'm delighted. It's very encouraging.

“Dimitri? Dimitri the Guard has a crush on you?” Eugene snorted and then broke into a hearty laugh. Rapunzel watched as he fell back onto the sheets of his bed, clutching his ribs as he laughed. “Oh man, talk about starting the day with a laugh…!” he howled.

The princess remained silent as Eugene laughed, eyes wide at his reaction to her news. She found herself turning somewhat red underneath his laughter; either she was missing something here, or this was Eugene’s natural response to news like this. “You’re not upset by this…?” she asked slowly. 

“Amused than anything. Why? Should I be upset Blondie?” Eugene wheezed, wiping a tear from his eye. He sat upright, feeling even better after his fit of laughter, and then reached for his other boot. “To me, it’s funny. One of the most stoic, aloof man on the whole guard has a crush you. You, being the complete opposite of stoic and aloofness. That’s gotta be some real irony for ‘ya.” he said while slipping on his boot.

Rapunzel scratched the back of her head. “But doesn’t make you feel – I don’t know – jealous? Enraged? Concerned?” she gestured in a fretful manner. He was taking this a lot smoother than she anticipated; he didn’t even seem half as worried as she was. “I mean Eugene: another man has a crush on me! Me! Who’s not only the princess, but also your girlfriend! Aren’t you the least bit alarmed by that?” she worried.

Eugene finished lacing his boot up and then rose from bed with a sigh. He stepped over to Rapunzel and took a hold of both her hands. “Well to be honest, I don’t blame him for having a crush on you.” he admitted with a shrug.

“Look here Sunshine: you are a bright and intelligent woman. You’re wonderful to be around with, you’re always helping those in need, and looking out for loved ones. You’re artistic, beautiful, independent, cunning, resourceful, the whole kit and caboodle! And let’s not even get started with the way you handle a frying pan! Who doesn’t want to fall in love with someone like you? I know I did.” he kissed her hand.

“Aw, Eugene…!” Rapunzel felt her heart swell with love and embraced her boyfriend with a tight hug. “That’s the sweetest thing you’ve said to me so far! Oh, you really are the best…!” she squeezed.

Eugene chuckled and held Rapunzel warmly. “I know, I know. They didn’t call Flynn Rider a ‘Snatcher of Love’ for nothing, y’know.” he boasted, puffing his chest out.

“Fitzherbert, have you seen Raps?” Cassandra knocked once and then opened the door. The first thing she saw was Rapunzel and Eugene complimenting their embrace with a kiss. “Oh, well, um…” she blinked a few times and then cleared her throat.

The couple turned with a jump and immediately separated; Rapunzel giggling nervously while Eugene scratched the back of his head, blush deep in his cheeks. “H-Hey Cass, didn’t know you were there.” Rapunzel waved.

“It’s cool, didn’t know I was interrupting something important. Sorry about that.” Cassandra apologized. She stepped into the room then. “Anyway, Raps I’ve been looking all over for you. Friedborg and I still need to do your hair for the dignitaries’ luncheon at noon. And you know how long it takes to get seventy feet of golden magical locks primped and ready.” she wagged her finger.

“Don’t worry Cass, we all know how much of a struggle Rapunzel’s hair can be.” Eugene said. “Besides, you weren’t interrupting anything big. Just givin’ Blondie here a lil’ pick-me-up. She’s been dealing with the fact that one of the royal guards has a crush on her.” he placed a hand on the princess’s shoulder.

Rapunzel gasped, realizing she’d nearly forgotten about the situation with Dimitri. She started pacing around the room. “Oh no, oh no! What am I going to do guys? I’ve never been in a situation like this. I know turning him down is the right thing to do, but wouldn’t that break his heart? I can’t bring myself to do that, especially since he went through all that trouble of picking those flowers for me…” she worried.

“Not to sound crass, but this seems a bit too much to hand wring over some flowers.” Eugene pointed out. He raised an eyebrow when Rapunzel shied away from his gaze then. “It was just some flowers, right?” he crossed his arms.

“Actually,” the princess twiddled her thumbs and looked Eugene in the eye. “It was more than just flowers. I didn’t have the stomach to mention this to my parents, but there might have been a letter here and there. And maybe some poems in Russian. And you know that stuffed bear Pascal likes to sleep on? _Well_ …” she chuckled nervously.

Eugene’s eyes widened and he turned to Cassandra, who seemed equally alarmed. “Woah! Forget crush Blondie, this kid’s head over heels for you!” he said amazed. And that made him a little concerned now. “Okay, this might be a big problem…” he nodded.

“Uh, this royal guard. His name wouldn’t happen to be Dimitri, would it?” Cassandra asked. When Rapunzel nodded, she pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Oh brother…” she grumbled, shaking her head.

“Wait, you already know?” Rapunzel tilted her head in confusion.

“Yeah, I mean – the whole guard knows. It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?” Cassandra said, lowering her hand. She looked to Eugene and Rapunzel. “Is it not obvious?” she repeated.

“In my defense, there’s something about Dimitri that makes him rather cold and unapproachable. Then again, that could be just a Russian thing.” Eugene shrugged. The more he thought, it might be just a Slavic thing because he’s gotten the similar impression with Vladimir the Guard.

Cassandra placed her hands on her hips and then rolled her eyes at Eugene. She turned to Rapunzel, who retreated to a corner and started brooding again. “Look Raps, I know I’m probably just adding my voice to the choir here, but you got to nip this in the butt right away.” she warned.

“I mean I get it,” Cassandra placed a hand on Rapunzel’s shoulder. “It’s a tough choice, and you don’t like making anyone sad or upset. It’s like against your DNA or something. But honestly, is it worth keeping people happy if you ultimately end up sad or upset?” she reasoned.

Rapunzel looked to her lady-in-waiting and then to Eugene. She reached up to hold Cassandra and gave a firm nod. “You’re right. You guys are right. I should put my foot down.” she frowned.

“Dimitri might be sweet, but I’m already spoken for and he’s just to have to deal that!” Rapunzel said, walking to the center of the room. She stood tall and confident.

“That’s my girl!” Eugene cheered. “And if things get ugly, Cass and I got your back.” he offered. He raised his arm to flex and patted his bicep to mean business.

Rapunzel smiled in approval and stepped over to hook their arms together. “Well there’s no time to waste! Come on guys, we got a crush to crush!” she declared.

Cassandra crossed her arms and watched the couple march triumphantly out of the room as though they were heading into battle. “Now there goes someone with a game plan.” she chuckled, shaking her head.

At least, until she remembered why she was looking for Rapunzel in the first place. “Wait a minute, Raps! There’s still dignitaries’ luncheon! Raps? Raps?!” Cassandra called out.

The lady-in-waiting ran after them, her work never quite done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a bit longer because I'm (and still) fretting about Rapunzel's characterization, hopefully she sounds in character. She is really fun to write, after Cassandra, Eugene, and the Captain. 
> 
> I also the reiteration of 'Rapunzel turning her crush down' doesn't come off as annoying. It's not so much turning him down that's bothering her, it's more hurting his feelings. To me, she comes off never wanting to hurt anyone's feelings.
> 
> Feedback is welcomed!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last, here's the third chapter! Our guard in love makes a formal appearance, as well as few other Royal Guards and the Captain himself. I apologize for long absence, hopefully this chapter will make it up to you guys.

Dimitri chewed the end of his pencil, eyebrows scrunching into a frown while he remained stumped on where to go next with this rhyme of his. He backed a couple of steps to read the stanza from the beginning and then reached underneath his helmet to scratch the nape of his neck, still stumped. His English was good enough to hold a small conversation, but not good enough to express the feelings he felt so deeply right now.

Frustration bubbled up then, which made his chest tightened in despair and he quickly crumpled his unfinished poem into a wad destined for the garbage can. The guard turned around with the intention of throwing it away but then wavered at the last moment. Instead, he turned back to uncrumple his poem and read it over again, eyes stopping when they reached Rapunzel’s name.

Dimitri could feel his face growing warmer the longer he stared at the princess’s name. At this point, just the mention of her name was enough to get the butterflies going in his stomach. He ran a gloved hand down his face and then took a deep breath, feeling guilty afterwards. This was ridiculous: he was nineteen years old, a member of the elite Royal Guard of Corona, and yet here he was acting like a lovestruck fool on the Day of Hearts.

Royal Guards weren’t supposed to have crushes, especially on members of the Royal Family. It was highly inappropriate; princesses should be courted by fellow princes and noblemen, not guards whose purpose was to protect the former and nothing else. Dimitri remembered the stern lectures on proper etiquette and the Captain could not stress enough that a guard’s duties to the crown came first before chasing petticoats. He shook his head and then closed his eyes with a sigh, his cheeks growing redder.

But could anyone really blame him for developing such complicated feelings? Rapunzel was such a beautiful, amazing, and intelligent woman. She was kind, courageous, resilient, and uplifting. More than once he’s pictured himself taking Rapunzel’s hand and declare his true feelings to her. The princess in return would be moved, and then stand on her toes to cup his face with a sweet little smile before giving him a great, big—

“Hey. Romeo,” Dimitri opened his eyes and jumped at the sight of André, a fellow royal guard. He scrambled to his feet and saluted him, much to the other’s bewilderment. André looked at Dimitri and then at the papers scattered on the table. His eyes were drawn to the crumpled one and he looked back at his colleague.

“Still think you got a shot with the princess, huh?” he asked, cutting right through him. Dimitri flinched but remained silent. He shied away from the spotlight thrust upon him. André rolled his eyes and sighed. “Well, I can’t tell you how you’re supposed to feel, but I can tell you this is getting out of hand. It’s only a matter of time before the Captain catches whiff of this. You’re lucky no one has bent his ear about it. Yet.” the guard wagged his finger.

With that, André gathered all the papers on the table and stacked them neatly. He then dumped into Dimitri’s unprepared hands. “By the way, the Captain has been looking for these papers. You were supposed to deliver them fifteen minutes ago. I don’t need to remind you about how anal he gets about punctuality.” he warned.

Dimitri gave a quick nod and then shuffled past André with an even quicker apology. It didn’t take him long to reach the Captain’s office, the door always open to whatever crisis at hand. Only a few guards acknowledged him when he stepped inside as the rest were too busy going over their own reports and briefings. 

The Captain had his nose buried in correspondence between Corona and the Silver Kingdom. He looked up to see Dimitri give a salute before setting his papers on the desk before him. “There you are Kuznetsov, I’ve been waiting for those prisoner records for a while now.” he frowned.

He dismissed him with a simple hand wave and then began to comb through the records. The Captain stopped when coming across a paper that had been obviously crumpled up. Plucking it out of the stack, he smoothed the paper out a little and then glanced it over.

“To the girl with the golden hair…” Dimitri froze. He blinked a couple of times, eyes growing wide in horror. As the sweat gathered on his brow, the guard looked over his shoulder to see the Captain. He was reading his poem. Right here and right now in a room full of people.

“Whose beauty partakes of Aphrodite, and courage from Athena herself,” the other guards looked over to the Captain, amused curiosity growing on their faces. Dimitri stood petrified and his face began to turn red. “Whose virtue shines as bright as the evening star…” the Captain read aloud.

“Oh Rapunzel, there isn’t enough words to describe—” the Captain stopped his recitation as the unfinished poem had no ending. He blinked a few times and then looked up to Dimitri, standing beet red. “Beauty of Aphrodite, huh?” he said with an eyebrow raised.

Meanwhile, there was a round of laughter from the other guards and some even clapped in approval. One of them by the name of Nicholas came over to Dimitri and slung an arm over his shoulder. 

“Well would you look at that! The boy’s an aspiring romantic! Lorenzo, I think he’s taking more than just a few pointers from you.” Nicholas teased. If the other wasn't wearing a helmet right now, he would’ve tousled Dimitri’s hair in good humor.

“Eh, it could use some improvement but that’s okay. I know English isn’t your first language.” Lorenzo walked alongside with the tug of his mustache. “If you have trouble with meters, come see me anytime. I’ll be glad to help.” he grinned.

Patrick, the biggest man on the guard, came up from behind and slapped Dimitri on the back with a hearty laugh. “Ha! Cupid’s got ‘ya right in the heart didn’t he, boyo? Can you believe Corona’s gonna have its own Antoine and Fersen?” he chuckled.

The burgeoning interest in a fellow guard’s romantic adventures was cut short when the Captain cleared his throat. Disapproval was clear on his face. “Gentlemen, I’ll need the room for just a moment.” he announced, spreading his palms flat on the table.

The other guards looked at each other and then quietly vacated the room, some giving Dimitri sympathetic looks as they departed. Once the door was closed, the Captain eased back into his seat and pinched the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath then sat forward.

“… As alarmed as you look Kuznetsov, I’ve always been aware of this.” the Captain gestured to the poem in hand. He watched as Dimitri lowered his head and balled his hands into trembling fists. “I have to admit, I looked the other way because I assumed these feelings for the princess would gradually pass.” he continued.

“But this morning King Frederic informed me of some troubling news,” Dimitri snapped up to see the Captain raising from his seat. He trembled a little as the other walked up to him, arms crossed behind his back. It was a pose all the guards were familiar with; someone about to get their ear chewed off.

“And seeing on the others are so comfortable discussing it, I’m going to take a stab here and say those feelings for the princess have not passed, have they?” the Captain asked. He watched as Dimitri opened his mouth to say a word but then swallowed thickly. The poor boy looked like he was going to keel over at any moment.

Reversing his approach, the Captain stepped away from Dimitri and turned to walk back to his desk. He leaned against it with both hands and shook his head. There was a long pause before he took a deep breath and sighed in a tired manner. “Look son, I get it. I was nineteen once and in love before. It gets you all torn up inside, don’t it? Like you can’t think straight, and everything has to be about them, right?” the Captain said.

The Captain took a moment to remove his helmet. When he turned around, Dimitri could see he was less disappointed and more concerned. It was a side of their commander no one on the guard would see often. “As much as I’m delighted to hear you’re keen on someone, I have no choice but to intervene when it puts the name of the Royal Family and the Royal Guard’s into serious question.” he warned.

“We’re here to protect them, not court them son. Royal guards have no place to be pursuing such relationships with the princess. Especially if she’s already been spoken for.” the Captain reminded. His face began to soften as he watched Dimitri lowered his head in dejection. He chewed his lip and then placed a firm hand on the guard’s shoulder.

“Look, I’m not just saying this because it’s a serious breach of protocol. I’m also saying this because I care about the wellbeing of both you and the princess. This kind of emotional quagmire… never bodes well in the end. I don’t want to see either of you get hurt. So you have to understand where I am coming from and consider just ending this whole little affair, please.” the Captain begged.

Dimitri looked to the hand on his shoulder and then up to the Captain. He closed his eyes and took a deep before opening them again. “Yes sir…” he said quietly.

The Captain gave him a brief smile before he withdrew his hand. He returned to his chair and settled down with a grunt. “All right solider, you have permission to leave. Remember what I said, okay?” he placed his helmet back on.

Dimitri nodded. He saluted the Captain before turning around to leave, closing the door in his wake. The Captain sat for a moment or two and then scooted forward to resume his work. He got as far as organizing his papers when he noticed the crumpled poem left on his desk. That made him frown in concern.

Something in his gut told him this wasn’t going to end easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally had a whole different idea to approach this chapter, but when I started writing I realized my original plan wouldn't work as much as I hoped so and ended up starting all over again. 
> 
> In the end I feel like it was a good decision, especially since I was able to flesh out some more Royal Guards and figure out the Captain's role in this situation. Ultimately rules are rules, but he does care about the well being of his men, even if he's not the most visibly affectionate man.
> 
> Feedback is welcomed!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last, here is the newest chapter! I apologize for the delay and I hope the read is worth it!

One after the other, dignitaries rose from their seats and made their graceful exit from the room. Eugene was there to greet them at the door. He was dressed handsomely and had a smile glossier than polished alabaster.

“Thank you. Thanks for coming. Corona’s delighted you came. Have a nice day.” Eugene repeated in different phrases, different tones, and different affections. While some acknowledged him, the majority walked past him without so much of a glance. He waved goodbye to the last few stragglers and then closed the door behind them.

“Ugh!” Eugene spat in exasperation. He turned around to lean against the door, his polished smile replaced with an unkept scowl. He dragged his hands down his face and took a deep breath. “That was the most rigorous and demanding two hours of my entire life!” he said, tugging at his collar.

Cassandra rolled her eyes. Tasked with clearing the tables with Friedborg, she placed a stack of dishes onto the trolley and then pushed it over to Eugene. “Yeah, I can’t imagine the labor you must’ve gone through while being the princess’s special guest for the luncheon. You poor thing.” she cooed, pinching his cheek.

Eugene rubbed his cheek after she let go, turning red a little as Cassandra moved past him with a chuckle. He followed after her and came around the trolley to help collect silverware. “For your information Ca-SAN-dra, there was a lot of preparation for this big event. Nigel didn’t want me attending as my usual dashing self and had his menservants force me into this cockamamie thing. I mean look at me!” he patted his chest a few times.

“Do you really think Eugene Fitzherbert would consciously pick a fashion choice like this?” Eugene prompted. The two looked at each other a moment, Cassandra’s lips curling into another smile while the lines on Eugene’s face grew deeper with his frown. “Y’know what? Forget I even asked.” he huffed and then turned his attention back to the silverware.

“So guys, what did you think of my closing words for the luncheon?” Rapunzel walked up to Cassandra and Eugene hands clasped together. Unlike her boyfriend, there was no need to change clothes for her. “I really think I got through to everyone, but I want your guys’ honest opinion.” she asked.

Eugene sat the silverware down and slipped around the trolley to take a hold of Rapunzel’s hands. He raised them up so that he could smooch them. “It was magnificent Sunshine, just like everything you do.” he grinned.

“That’s sweet Eugene, but I’m being serious here.” Rapunzel said. Since hosting luncheons were going to be a permanent feature of her life, she wanted to sharpen her skills as soon as she can. “Cass, what do you think?” she turned to her friend, knowing she was more honest.

“For once Raps, I have to agree with Fitzherbert. You were great.” Cassandra complimented. She placed another stack of dishes on the trolley. “You’ll be ready in no time for next month’s diplomatic visit from the Silver Kingdom.” she added, wiping her hands down with a rag.

“But before you cross that bridge, you have a situation at home that needs to be addressed pronto.” Eugene reminded. Rapunzel blinked once then realized what he was talking about. “And as I said before, yours truly is here for emotional support. And if things turn ugly,” he raised his arm to flex and patted it.

Cassandra rolled her eyes at his bravado while her friend giggled in return. She wheeled the trolley past the couple and started clearing the next table. “As much as I love to see Eugene get pummeled, I’m going to have to sit this one out. Friedborg and I still have a bunch of tables clear. Tell me how things went, okay?” she grinned.

Rapunzel nodded then turned to leave the room with Eugene following close behind. Outside, she paused in the middle of the corridor and looked around with her arms akimbo. “Okay, if we’re going to confront Dimitri about this, we got to approach him in a calm, friendly manner.” she turned to Eugene.

“Of course, we’ve got to find where he is first. This castle is pretty big after all.” Rapunzel added. Even in the middle of the corridor, there were so many people going here and there, which made it easy to lose track of someone. She stood on her toes and looked out to the crowd of heads and shoulders, leaning on Eugene a little to elevate her sight.

“Blondie, lovestruck fool at six ‘o clock.” Eugene suddenly pointed. The princess followed his finger and there, where the corridor lead into a junction, she could see Dimitri marching in the direction of the east wing. She thanked her boyfriend with a peck on the cheek and went after the guard in question.

Dimitri was marching to his next assignment when he heard someone call his name. He turned around and jumped when seeing it was Rapunzel calling his name, with Eugene following close behind. Remembering the Captain’s stern words, he immediately turned back and felt the sweat gather on his brow. He didn’t want to get in more trouble than he was already in.

Rapunzel watched as the guard turned to acknowledge her and then to her surprise, turn back to start marching in a faster pace. She raised an eyebrow and called his name again, which made him march even faster. “Dimitri wait a minute! I want to talk to you! Wait!” she waved frantically.

Soon enough, she and Eugene were chasing after him, mowing down others who happened to obstruct their paths. Dimitri looked over his shoulder to see the princess hot on his trail and growled in frustration; he just had to have a crush on the most energetic woman in the whole castle! He needed a plan to shake her off and fast.

Dimitri rounded the corner and noticed workmen carrying furniture out of a room. Rapunzel rounded the corner moments later and gasped when it seemed like a collision was inevitable. “Watch out!” she warned.

The workmen looked up to see Dimitri bearing down on them and flinched for the worst. But to their and Rapunzel’s surprise, he dropped at the last second and slid gracefully underneath the large bureau they were carrying. She slowed down and came to stop in front of the bureau, catching her breath.

Rapunzel watched as Dimitri stood up again; his helmet fell off during his slide and she could see that he had short blond hair. He turned to face her, out of breath and hesitant to meet her eyes. “Dimitri, wait a minute please… I just want to talk to you.” she panted.

“Blondie wait up!” Eugene huffed. Dimitri’s eyes widened at the sight of Eugene and he turned around to bolt. Eugene came trotting up to Rapunzel and then took a moment to catch his breath. “Oh man, I just had to fall in love with the most energetic woman in the kingdom…!” he wheezed.

Eugene double over for a moment and breathed deeply through his nose. He didn’t know what was more embarrassing: the fact that he struggled to keep pace with Rapunzel and Dimitri or that a simple chase around the castle was leaving him this ragged. Perhaps living such a cushy life was starting to dull his world-class stamina.

“Y’know, I’m glad Cassandra didn’t tag along. She would never let me hear the end of this…” Eugene panted, standing properly again. He ran a hand through his brown locks, frowning as their infatuated had slipped from their grasp. “So… I know your little friend is shy and all, but this is taking it to the extreme.” he said.

“I don’t understand, I just called his name and he took off like that.” Rapunzel shook her head. She noticed the workmen had finished moving furniture out of the room and left the corridor free to pass. “Am I really that intimidating? I mean, I can be, if someone happened to push me too far…” she chuckled, walking again.

Rapunzel rubbed her chin in thought and then looked up at her boyfriend. Eugene reeled a little from her stare and raised an eyebrow. “What? You think he ran because he saw me?” he scoffed.

“I mean, he has a crush on me… and you are my boyfriend after all. He probably assumed the worst.” the princess shrugged. Now it was Eugene’s turn to rub his chin in thought. He tugged on the hairs of his goatee and then nodded in agreement.

“It probably doesn’t help that I’m bigger and broader than him, right?” Eugene scratched the nape of his neck. Even then, he thought of himself as being an approachable kind of guy. It was essential to be approachable when he used to be thieving; a smile for a new friend while the hand slips away with a brand-new ring.

“All right, since you’re giving him the heebie-jeebies, I’m should go alone on this for now on.” Rapunzel concluded. Eugene turned to her with a pout, which she responded with a playful nudge to the ribs. “Don’t worry, you’re still my go-to guy if things turn ugly. At least, after Cass you are.” she chuckled.

Despite being a setback, Rapunzel kept her spirits high. After all, she still had the rest of the day to confront her bashful admirer. Surely by then everything would be solved and taken care of, right?

* * *

Rapunzel dove into bed and buried her face into a pillow. Pascal crawled over as she wined in frustration, rolling onto her back as she clutched her pillow tighter. He squeaked to catch her attention and she lifted the pillow to glanced over at him.

“Oh Pascal,” Rapunzel dropped the pillow and rolled so that she was lying on her side. She reached out and scratched the chameleon’s chin with her finger. “Why did he had to have a crush on me? Why couldn’t it have been someone else like, I don’t know, Stan or whatever?” she asked.

Pascal raised an eyebrow at her. Rapunzel rolled onto her stomach and the smirked. “Okay, maybe not Stan because he’s married and all. But you have to admit he is a pretty sweet guy.” she pointed out.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Rapunzel turned as the door opened, Arianna waving at her. “Oh, hi mom… how was your day?” the princess sat up. 

“It was all right, nothing out of the ordinary for me,” Arianna walked over to the bed and settled on the edge beside her daughter. She reached down and petted Pascal on the head. “What about you? Did you clear everything up with Dimitri?” she asked.

“Not really,” Rapunzel flopped back onto the sheets with a sigh. She draped her arm over her face. “This whole afternoon I tried to talk to him about this, but he just kept running away from me. At first I thought it was because I was with Eugene initially and he was scared of him. But no mom, every time I saw this guy he would just turn around and hightail it!” she explained.

Arianna frowned in concern while Rapunzel rose up again with another sigh. She placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Well, no one said breaking a heart would be easy. I’m proud that you’re taking such a direct approach.” she comforted.

“Thanks, I just wish there was a way I could talk to Dimitri without him running away.” Rapunzel grabbed her pillow and tucked it underneath her chin. Pascal hopped onto her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek.

Arianna turned for a moment in thought. She turned back when an idea came to mind. “If you don’t mind a little motherly intervention, I think I know of a way to get you two together.” she grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I apologize for the long delay. I was preoccupied with other things. I really do enjoy writing Cassandra, Eugene, and Rapunzel's interactions, they bounce off each other so well.
> 
> Feedback is welcomed!


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as she could be excused from her royal duties, Arianna put her plan into motion. Leaving the elegant appointments of the queen’s chambers, she told Friedborg she was going to check on the pomegranates in the orangery, and then walked in the opposite direction. She rounded the corner and spilled through a nondescript door that hid one of the many little staircases the servants would use to get from one grand apartment to the other. Lifting the hem of her dress by several inches, Arianna descended the tight spiral, her heels echoing softly in the stony silence.

Through another nondescript door, the queen found herself on the ground floor, where the corridor on her right would eventually lead her to the throne room while on her left a similar journey could be made to where the Royal Guards were staffed and quartered. She turned left, passing a few ladies of the court, who bowed in respect to their highness and did little to question her out of routine movements. Even if they did ask, Arianna would lie of course, informing them she was in the middle of an important queenly task and that would satisfy most concerns. She rounded several corners and then pushed open one of the many heavy doors that led outside.

The Royal Guards were staffed and quartered in a cluster of buildings that stood in the northwest corner of the castle. Here one could find the barracks, the main offices, the stables, the armory, and underground the castle’s dungeons, which the main offices were strategically placed above for direct access to keep close watch. In addition, there was a large expanse of lawn that had been divided into the training field to practice combat and then the obstacle course. The sun was there to greet Arianna when she stepped outside, and she drew a hand to shield her eyes from its brightness.

From her vantage point, she could see right onto the lawn, with the stables and its thatched roof marked one corner and the squat buildings of the barracks marked another. The whole guard was out on the lawn and they were divided into two groups: Captain was shuttling men through the obstacle course, Stan was daring anyone to come topple him in combat. Arianna lowered her hand and then took a deep breath to ready herself for the next part of her plan. She left the cool shade of the arcade overhead and walked into the warm afternoon.

By nature of how the grounds were laid out, she passed Stan and his group on the training field first. Her pace slowed down as she watched a determined guard charge at his mustached instructor – only for Stan to evade his fists effortlessly before throwing the poor bastard over his shoulder. He struck the ground with a hard thud, throwing up a cloud of dust and made the other guards and Arianna wince in consequence. Stan wiped the dust off his hands and then turned to the rest with a smirk, goading them to make a similar charge.

The queen walked by, knowing the inevitable outcome, and headed over to the obstacle course. Captain was standing on the sidelines with a clipboard in one hand and a pencil in the other. He was keeping close record of each guard’s performance on the obstacle course, knowing who was improving and who was falling short.

“Nice hustle men! Keep up the good work!” Captain praised. He scribbled a few important notes down and then reached into his pocket, pulling out his pocket watch. Checking the time, he wondered if he could schedule one more round of sword practice before the evening closed in.

“Excuse me, Captain?” Arianna called, strolling up from behind.

Captain turned and was taken back at the queen’s presence, the obstacle course being a far cry from the crushed velvet and Axminster carpets where she could be normally found. He straightened up moments later and stood attention, saluting in respect to her. Arianna noticed a trickle of sweat coming from his brow, no doubt the consequence of running drills underneath the warm sun.

“Good afternoon your majesty, and what an unexpected visit!” Captain chuckled. Despite the surprise, he was glad the queen was visiting him; the nature of his job meant he spent more time socializing with her husband than herself. “Is there anything you need assistance with? We’re close to wrapping things up on the obstacle course behind me.” he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder.

“Oh, I don’t need any help at the moment. I’m actually here to see one of your guards, Dimitri?” Arianna asked. She didn’t see the enamored guard in question among Stan’s group of men, so he must’ve been with Captain’s instead. Captain cleared his throat and then turned, pointing to the obstacle course.

The combination of the afternoon sun and safety precautions gave Arianna the rare chance to see the guards without their helmets as they ran the course. From there it didn’t take her long to spot Dimitri; he was the only blond among the group of dark-haired men. She watched as the young guard swung across the mud pit and then clambered over a vertical wall, sticking the landing when he jumped over the top. He became the first to cross the finish line, the rest following suit a few minutes later.

“Impressive, isn’t he?” Captain smirked, crossing his arms.

“Certainly. I hope Stan doesn’t mind a little completion for best man on the guard.” Arianna nudged Captain in the ribs with a chuckle.

Captain shook his head with a chuckle and then licked his lips. The usual somber return to his face moments later and he uncrossed his arms. “So, I assume you’re here because of the situation between your daughter and Kuznetsov.” he turned to the queen with a concerned frown.

“The king informed me of the situation earlier this morning. Let me just start with my sincerest apologies. I hope this debacle hasn’t been too hard on the princess. As captain I take full responsibility for any trouble my men will cause.” he apologized.

Arianna resisted the urge to balk at Captain’s apology, mainly on the grounds of it being so unnecessarily formal. He shouldn’t be treating this little issue with such gravity. “Thank you, and it’s quite all right. I’m sure Dimitri didn’t mean any harm.” she insisted.

“That being said, I can assure you Kuznetsov won’t be bothering the princess anymore. I’ve reprimanded him for his insolence and warned him of further consequences if he continues to be… persistent with his courtship.” Captain explained.

The queen nodded slowly, now resisting the urge to put on a sour face. Well that explained why Dimitri would bolt before Rapunzel could get a chance to talk with him. He was already in enough hot water as it was and didn’t want to sink deeper. The poor boy.

“Again, I appreciate your concern Captain. Thank you.” Arianna smiled. Even if his concern proved to be more detrimental than helpful. “Though, if you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with Dimitri as well. I promised Rapunzel I would talk to him when I got the chance today.” she asked.

Captain tugged on his mustache, taking a moment to ponder his majesty’s request, and then nodded in agreement. He reached into his other pocket and pulled out his whistle then licked his lips before giving it a blow. At this point, the guards had been recuperating on the benches next to the obstacle course, where towels and cool drinks were offered after the laborious run. Conversations were cut short at the whistle’s shrill cry, everyone turning to look at Captain.

Dimitri rose from the bench when he noticed the queen was standing beside Captain. With sweat clinging on his brow, he could only shrink as their gaze fell on him. This can’t be good.

“Kuznetsov, front and center!” Captain called out.

Nicholas stepped over and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. “I know this doesn’t look good for you but consider this: better the queen next to Captain than the king himself.” he offered.

Dimitri swallowed thickly then mustered the strength and courage to march over. He stood attention, too nervous to look either Captain or Arianna in the eye. He was faintly aware that he was trembling but instead focused on the stone wall behind the couple’s shoulders.

“Excuse me, Dimitri?” Arianna smiled when the guard finally looked here in the eye. She extended her hand. “Why don’t you come with me? There’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you.” she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long time since I updated this story and I feel so happy to finally publish the newest chapter! It went through several revisions before I decided Arianna and Captain should be driving force in this chapter. I think in the end the results were great.
> 
> Feedback is welcomed!


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